Greece Athens Tours“Greece has become one of Hollywood’s most sought-after filming destinations — with more than 30 foreign productions shot across the country in 2024 alone. But long before this explosion of interest, 15 famous movies filmed in Greece were already capturing the world’s imagination. From Sophia Loren on the shores of Hydra in 1957 to Daniel Craig solving mysteries on Spetses in 2021, the Greek landscape has inspired cinema for nearly 70 years.”
The Greek landscape has always been an ally or source of inspiration for foreign producers and directors. And if the Greek islands obviously have the lion’s share of cinema preferences, there are well-known films that have been shot in places like Meteora or famous chase scenes that were shot in the Attica land.
Here are the 15 famous movies filmed in Greece
1. The Girl and the Dolphin (1957)
The first American production shot in Greece, and the film contributed a lot to making Hydra the first Greek island that was a pole of attraction for the international jet set. It is said that the Romanian-American director Jean Nagulescu told the locals when the shooting was completed, “to expect thousands of tourists in the coming years”. As it happened. The film is a romantic adventure, in the classic style of the time it was shot.
It was Sophia Loren’s first American film, which thus launched her career. Lauren’s co-star, Alan Land, was shorter than her on the set. So in several scenes, he was forced to walk on a special ramp to be at the same height as her. The film was not shot only in Hydra.
There are shots from the Parthenon, but also general shots from the Saronic Gulf. But the scene that is probably better known than the film is the one where Sophia Loren sings in Greek, “What is it that they call love” with Toni Maroudas.
2. The Guns of Navarone (1961)
War blockbuster production on the theme of World War II, produced in 1961 and shot in Rhodes. The cast is full of superstars: Gregory Peck, David Niven, Anthony Quinn, and Irene Papas. A team of Allied forces wants to blow up 2 huge German cannons, on top of a rock on the (imaginary) island of Navarone (which at some point in the film is depicted on a map of Antikythera.
The film received very good reviews, was nominated for 7 Oscars (won one), and was renamed Vagies Beach in Rhodes. Anthony Quinn loved the island so much during filming that he decided to buy this small cove. At a distance of 15 km from the city of Rhodes, there is a place called by the locals and tourist guides “Anthony Quinn.
3. The 300 Spartans (1962)
No, we are not talking about the much newer film based on the Frank Miller comic. The first time the epic Battle of Thermopylae, where 300 Spartans faced the biggest army of that time, was filmed in the cinema was in 1962 in the movie “The 300 Spartans”.
A film consistent with the spirit of its day, as antiquity films were very popular at the time, it was considered by critics a Cold War commentary with Greek city-states symbolizing “the only stronghold of freedom in the world at the time against the tyranny of the Persian Empire.” ». It should be noted that the “battle of Thermopylae” in the film took place in the bay of Vouliagmeni in Athens.
4 .Ζοrba The Greek (1964)
Mikis Theodorakis, the legendary Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis (1925-2021), who created the iconic Syrtaki melody…
“Anthony Quinn played the role of Zorbas perfectly,” Freddie, and indeed, the literary hero of Nikos Kazantzakis is completely identified with the American actor. The film was the only attempt to transfer “The Life and Times of Alexis Zorba” that succeeded.
And of course, it was a huge success. The film was nominated for 7 Oscars (among the nominees and Quinn), from which he won 3. Quinn’s purely cinematic relationship with Greece did not end then. In 1978, he starred in the film “The Greek Tycoon”.
15 Famous Movies Filmed in Greece
5. Le ChasseurThe Burglars (1971)
As one of the greatest actors in France, the iconic French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo (1933-2021) starred in the only film that he shot in Athens. In 1971, two great international stars, Jean-Paul Belmondo and Omar Sharif, came to Athens to shoot the film La Chasse, which was played in the American market under the title “The Burglars”.
The film describes the adventure of a ring of burglars to steal a suitcase with emeralds and their confrontation with a corrupt Greek police officer. It did not receive very good reviews; it was largely considered another mediocre robbery film, a very popular topic at that time.
But it went down in history as the chase scene. Jean-Paul Belmondo and Omar Sharif engage in a chase on the coastal front of Faliro, on the streets of Piraeus, Mikrolimano, and Castella with two small cars, a FIAT 124, and an Opel Record.
6. For your eyes only (1981)
The James Bond series also had its own “Greek” film. The shooting took place in Corfu and Meteora. In Corfu, Roger Moore participates in a chase scene driving a 2CV. Although much of the plot of the film takes place in Greece, with the cars running on narrow streets with olive trees next to them, the script of the film takes place in Spain.
In Meteora, at the Monastery of Barlaam, where the script says the “bad guy” of the movie, there were surprises. A climbing scene had to be shot there. The monks of Meteora reacted to the shooting there. The dispute ended in the courts, which ruled that the monks owned only the interior of the Monasteries.
Nevertheless, the monks insisted and covered the monasteries with tarpaulins and sheets to spoil the scene. Eventually, the solution was to build “monasteries” sets for outdoor and indoor shooting.
7. Le Grand Bleu (1988)
Two childhood friends with a passion for diving walk away, become famous athletes, and in the process compete in freediving and for a woman. The 1988 film is about real people (but not real events) and launched the career of its director, Lick Besson.
But basically, her video direction changed the tourist fate of Amorgos. More than 30 years after its screening, Amorgos receives visitors every year from all over the world (mainly France) who have decided to visit the island where it was filmed.
8. Mediterraneo (1992)
The film was shot in Kastelorizo island, and the locals can say today “that a film that won an Oscar was shot here”. Mediterraneo is an Italian anti-war comedy that won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1992.
9. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (2001)
Another film where Greece is the setting of a story that unfolds during World War II. Nicolas Cage is the Italian captain, Corelli, Penelope Cruz is the daughter of a Greek doctor he falls in love with, and the setting was in Kefalonia island.
One of the negative reviews of this film and the best seller on which it was based is that “everything is too bright and photogenic, even the war”, in which it is evolving. This is absolutely true for Kefalonia. The film was a commercial success, and at the time it was played, 20 years ago, it particularly advertised Kefalonia in the American market.
10. Mamma Mia (2008)
It is a 2008 American jukebox musical romantic comedy film directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Catherine Johnson, based on her book of the 1999 musical of the same name. The film is based on the songs of the pop group ABBA, with additional music composed by ABBA member Benny Andersson.
The film features an ensemble cast, including Christine Baranski, Pierce Brosnan, Dominic Cooper, Colin Firth, Amanda Seyfried, Stellan Skarsgård, Meryl Streep, and Julie Walters.
The story of the film concerns a future bride who invites 3 men to her wedding on the Greek island “Summer”, to find out who her father is. Thanks to the film, the gorgeous island of Skopelos became world-famous.
11. The Two Faces of January (2014
A psychological thriller based on Patricia Highsmith’s novel, starring Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst, and Oscar Isaac. The film opens in Athens, the Acropolis, the National Archaeological Museum, and the narrow streets of Plaka all feature prominently. The story follows a wealthy American couple whose Athens holiday takes a dark turn when they befriend a charming tour guide. For anyone who has walked through Athens’ historic center, seeing it as the backdrop for this tense thriller is a genuinely thrilling experience.
Athens connection: If you want to walk the same streets as Viggo Mortensen, our private Athens tours cover the exact neighborhoods featured in the film.
12.Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
Director Rian Johnson brought Daniel Craig back as detective Benoit Blanc for this Netflix murder mystery — this time set on a private Greek island. The exterior scenes were filmed on Spetses, one of the most elegant and car-free islands in the Saronic Gulf, just 90 minutes from Athens by hydrofoil. The film introduced Spetses to a global audience of millions overnight — searches for the island spiked immediately after the film’s release on Netflix.
Greece connection: Spetses is accessible as a day trip from Athens — ask us about our island day trip options.
13.Before Midnight (2013)
The third film in Richard Linklater’s celebrated trilogy, following Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, was filmed entirely in the Peloponnese. Jesse and Celine, now a couple with children, spend a summer in the Mani peninsula. The film captures the rugged beauty of southern Greece, stone towers, olive groves, and the deep blue of the Laconian Gulf, with an intimacy that no tourist guide can replicate. Many consider it the finest film ever shot in Greece for its honest portrayal of the country’s quieter, less-visited landscapes.
14.The Odyssey (2026) — Christopher Nolan
The most anticipated film of 2026 was partially filmed in Greece, exactly where Homer’s epic poem was set 2,800 years ago. Director Christopher Nolan brought his $250 million production to the Peloponnese in early 2025, filming at some of the most breathtaking locations in Greece: Voidokilia Beach, Methoni Castle, the archaeological site of Acrocorinth, and the coastal areas of Messinia.
Matt Damon plays Odysseus alongside a cast of Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, and Charlize Theron. A 200-year-old wooden trireme, a replica ancient warship, was shipped from Norway to the port of Katakolo specifically for the Greek filming sequences. The production used the turquoise waters and ancient landscapes of Messinia to recreate the world of Homer with a realism no studio set could achieve.
The film releases in theaters on July 17, 2026, the same summer you may be visiting Greece. Standing on Voidokilia Beach or looking out from the walls of Methoni Castle, you’ll be standing exactly where Matt Damon stood as Odysseus.
The story of Odysseus begins in Greece, and so does Christopher Nolan’s film. This is the most powerful reminder yet that Greece is not just ancient history, it is living mythology that continues to inspire the world’s greatest storytellers.
Greece connection: Messinia and Acrocorinth are reachable from Athens. Ask us about private Peloponnese tours that include the Nolan filming locations alongside ancient Corinth, Mycenae, and Epidaurus.
15.My Life in Ruins (2009)
Nia Vardalos, who wrote and starred in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, returned to Greece for this romantic comedy about a disenchanted tour guide rediscovering her love for the country. Filmed across Greece’s most iconic archaeological sites, the Acropolis in Athens, ancient Olympia, and Delphi, the film is essentially a love letter to Greek history and culture. For anyone considering a private guided tour of Greece’s ancient sites, this film captures exactly why those experiences matter.
Athens connection: Our private Athens tours cover the Acropolis, featured prominently in the film, bringing the same stories to life that inspired the film’s plot.
What famous movies were filmed in Greece?
Greece has been the backdrop for dozens of famous films across seven decades. The most well-known include Mamma Mia! (Skopelos, 2008), Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (Kefalonia, 2001), The Big Blue (Amorgos, 1988), For Your Eyes Only (Meteora and Corfu, 1981), Zorba the Greek (Crete, 1964), The Guns of Navarone (Rhodes, 1961), and Boy on a Dolphin (Hydra, 1957) — Sophia Loren’s first American film. More recently, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Spetses, 2022) and The Odyssey of Christopher Nolan introduced a new generation to Greece’s extraordinary landscapes.
Where was Mamma Mia filmed in Greece?
Mamma Mia! was filmed primarily on the island of Skopelos in the Northern Sporades, with some scenes shot on the neighboring island of Skiathos. The iconic chapel of Agios Ioannis on a rocky promontory above the sea, where the wedding scene was filmed, has become one of Greece’s most visited Instagram locations since the film’s release in 2008. Skopelos remains relatively unspoiled and authentic despite its film fame.
Where was Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey filmed in Greece?
Christopher Nolan filmed The Odyssey in the Messinia region of the Peloponnese in early 2025. Specific Greek locations include Voidokilia Beach — one of Greece’s most beautiful natural lagoons — Methoni Castle, and the archaeological site of Acrocorinth. A 200-year-old wooden trireme was shipped from Norway to the Greek coast specifically for the film’s sea battle sequences. The Odyssey releases in theaters on July 17, 2026 — meaning visitors to Greece this summer can visit the exact locations where the film was shot.
Where was For Your Eyes Only filmed in Greece?
The 1981 James Bond film with Roger Moore was filmed in two Greek locations. The memorable chase scene was shot in Corfu, with Roger Moore driving a Citroën 2CV through narrow olive-tree-lined roads. The spectacular climbing sequence was filmed at the Monastery of Barlaam in Meteora — the monks famously objected to filming and covered the monastery with tarpaulins, forcing the production to build replica exterior sets. The court case that followed ruled that monks owned only the interior of the monasteries.
Where was Captain Corelli’s Mandolin filmed?
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (2001), starring Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz, was filmed on the island of Kefalonia in the Ionian Sea. The film depicts the Italian occupation of Kefalonia during World War II and captures the island’s extraordinary natural beauty — its turquoise waters, dramatic cliffs, and traditional villages. The film significantly boosted tourism to Kefalonia, which remains one of Greece’s most beautiful and least overcrowded islands.
Can I visit filming locations in Greece from Athens?
Yes, many of Greece’s most famous filming locations are accessible as day trips from Athens. Ancient Corinth — featured in The Guns of Navarone- is 90 minutes away on our private Corinth tour. Meteora — where James Bond climbed in For Your Eyes Only — is a popular day trip or overnight excursion. The Athens locations from The Two Faces of January and My Life in Ruins are covered on our private Athens city tours. For island locations like Spetses, hydrofoil connections from Piraeus make day trips straightforward.
